Here's hoping somebody can give me some advice. Thanks in advance :)
I'm a 19-year-old conservatory student in Amsterdam. I'm fairly new to playing professionally and found that the Yamaha Stage Custom Advantage Nouveau I got 5 years ago (on my fourteenth birthday) just doesn't cut it...

So now I'm looking for a pro kit. My style is mainly Rock/Alternative, favourite artists being Soundgarden, Foo Fighters, Jeff Buckley, but I like basically everything from Earth, Wind & Fire to Pendulum.
My favourite drummers are Matt Cameron, Dave Grohl, Steve Gadd, anyone in general who always plays for the song, how heavy it may be.

So what I'm looking for is a kit that can deliver a huge rock sound, but that's still open, woodsy and rich enough to be used in a pop setting. I'm also thinking of getting wood hoops, for the richness they give.
My favourite recorded drum sound is Superunknown by Soundgarden, such a huge open woodsy sound. I also really liked the drums on Them Crooked Vultures' record.

So I'm thinking of getting a Yamaha Birch Custom Absolute or Oak Custom set, in 24/12/13/16/18. My teacher's endorsed, so he'll help me get a good price if I decide to go Yamaha. I am willing to pay up to max.4 grand, though less would of course be great :).
I would really appreciate it if anyone could tell me if there are alternatives that I should consider!

Well if you intend on going with a Yamaha Recording or Oak Custom you can't go wrong with either... ALL the reviews are killer on both kits... Personally I've owned 3 gretsch renown kits and they're stellar little kits but they don't "rock" as hard as either of those yamahas.
My latest kit was a Pearl Masters MCX and it ROCKED, big time... It was a litte too powerful for what I was going for because I play alot of 90's so I needed a really open sound.
This past weekend I traded my MCX and my American Standard Fender Telecaster for a 4 pc Yamaha Maple Custom Absolute kit. I think I FINALLY found the kit I've been looking for. The kick drum just sits in the pocket so nicely and the toms sing, sing ,sing...
I also owned a set of Pearl Masters Studio Birch for about 2 months going back a couple months and that kit has an awesome feel. The birch has great attack and just candy to the ears...
Are you budgeting 4 grand for just the shells or the full set up?

Two words. Mapex saturn. Best drums imo. You cant get wood hoops but im sure you can buy them after. You can get a maple walnut or a birch walnut. There so versatile and there gorgeous. 8 layers of hand applied laquer. Seriously check them out.

Yo Stijn. I feel glad I actually know how to pronounce your name, though that is only because I know of someone called Stijn who
is an absaloute cock haha. However he can barely speak english so I know you aren't the same person :P I happen to live in groningen :D As for drums look on thomann as they deliver cheaply and fast to netherlands. If you are looking for a really woody sound then there is the tama elite bubinga which is in your range, a boat load of dw kits on there or my personal fav choice in your price bracket, a premier gen x kit. Happy tub thumpin man :D

I'm budgetting the 4 grand for the whole setup, though I've got a beautiful snare, and enough hardware and cymbals. I'm not really into Pearl, the sound just doesn't get to me, whereas I loved basically every Yamaha I ever played. Dave Grohl used DW drums on the Them Crooked Vultures record (and so did Matt Cameron on Superunknown) but I'm worried that DW will sound too rocky/fat, and not really luscious/rich. I'm not really a big fan of the over-the-top big fat American Pop-Punk drumsound, let's call it 'the Paramore drumsound', you know what I mean, and I feel DW does exactly that.

And if I get the chance I will definitely check out the Mapex, sounds good!

I agree that a DW kit will have to much of a fat sound for what you want.
That is what I like about my Saturns. They don't fit into the DW mold.
They are like a tame DW kit with better mids and highs.
I agree with you about Pearl kits too. Too punchy for my taste.
I also am a lover of Yamaha Birch Customs just as you are.

I'm budgetting the 4 grand for the whole setup, though I've got a beautiful snare, and enough hardware and cymbals. I'm not really into Pearl, the sound just doesn't get to me, whereas I loved basically every Yamaha I ever played. Dave Grohl used DW drums on the Them Crooked Vultures record (and so did Matt Cameron on Superunknown) but I'm worried that DW will sound too rocky/fat, and not really luscious/rich. I'm not really a big fan of the over-the-top big fat American Pop-Punk drumsound, let's call it 'the Paramore drumsound', you know what I mean, and I feel DW does exactly that.

And if I get the chance I will definitely check out the Mapex, sounds good!

Be sure to test in person on any kit though. You can't judge off of recordings of your favorite drummers mainly because of micing. You can control so many aspects of a kit just based on mics, so playing the kit without mics can be totally different than with. It is the reason I don't trust company videos of drummers because in most cases the sound is edited. I actually Youtube kits for sound (unmiced of course) to get an idea for the real sound of the set. Even then you still need to try in person for the feel.

I'm budgetting the 4 grand for the whole setup, though I've got a beautiful snare, and enough hardware and cymbals. I'm not really into Pearl, the sound just doesn't get to me, whereas I loved basically every Yamaha I ever played. Dave Grohl used DW drums on the Them Crooked Vultures record (and so did Matt Cameron on Superunknown) but I'm worried that DW will sound too rocky/fat, and not really luscious/rich. I'm not really a big fan of the over-the-top big fat American Pop-Punk drumsound, let's call it 'the Paramore drumsound', you know what I mean, and I feel DW does exactly that.

And if I get the chance I will definitely check out the Mapex, sounds good!

Yes the maple pearls would definetally be too punchy, but if you get a chance to check out a birch kit you might like them... Having said that, Yamaha rocks man... Can't go wrong with either of the kits you're talkin about...

Sounds like Yamaha is already in your veins. They make great stuff, especially the hardware.

One caution, if you're thinking of adding standard ply wood hoops to all drums (i.e. Yamaha hoops), as those hoops are sonically fairly dead (very thick multiple ply), they will have the effect of focussing the sound further, and will add virtually nothing in terms of "woodiness". As your desire is an open but powerful sound, such hoops would take the drums in the direction of DW thumpy. For the sound you're after, consider hoop choice carefully, & go for low mass designs.